Medical Terminology Chapter 10: The Nervous System

caus/o

burning, burn

cerebr/o

cerebrum, brain

concuss/o

shaken together, violently agitated

contus/o

bruise

encephal/o

brain

-esthesia

sensation, feeling

esthet/o

feeling, nervous sensation, sense of perception

-graphy

the act of making a recording or picture

mening/o

membranes, meninges

myel/o

spinal cord, bone marrow

neur/i, neur/o

nerve, nerve tissue

phobia

abnormal fear

psych/o

mind

radicul/o

root or nerve root

-tropic

having an affinity for

Central Nervous System (CNS)

includes the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

includes the 12 pairs of cranial nerves extending from the brain and the 31 pairs of peripheral spinal nerves extending outward from the spinal cord

nerve

is one or more bundles of neurons that connect the brain and spinal cord with other parts of the body

tract

is a bundle or group of nerve fibers located within the brain or spinal cord

ganglion

is a nerve center made up of a cluster of nerve cell bodies outside the central nervous system

innervation

means the supply of nerves to a specific body part

plexus

is a network of intersecting spinal nerves

Receptors

are sites in the sensory organs that receive external stimulation

stimulus

is anything that excites a nerve and causes an impulse

reflex

is an automatic, involuntary response to some change, either inside or outside the body

Neurons

are the basic cells of the nervous system that allow different parts of the body to communicate with each other

Afferent neurons

sensory neurons that emerge from sensory organs and the skin to carry the impulses from the sensory organs toward the brain and spinal cord

Connecting neurons

associative neurons which link sensory and motor neurons

Efferent neurons

motor neurons that carry neural impulses away from the brain and spinal cord and toward the muscles and glands

dendrites

are the root-like processes that receive impulses and conduct them to the cell body

axon

is a process that conducts impulses away from the nerve cell

Terminal end fibers

are the branching fibers at the end of the axon that lead the nerve impulse from the axon to the synapse.

synapse

is the space between two neurons or between a neuron and a receptor organ

Neurotransmitters

are chemical substances that make it possible for messages to cross from the synapse of a neuron to the target receptor

Gial cells

provide support and protection for neurons, and their four main functions are (1) to surround neurons and hold them in place, (2) to supply nutrients and oxygen to neurons, (3) to insulate one neuron from another, and (4) to destroy and remove dead neurons

myelin sheath

is the protective covering made up of girl cells

meninges

are the system of membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord

dura mater

is the thick, tough, outermost membrane of the meninges

arachnoid membrane

which resembles a spider web, is the second layer of the meninges and is located between the dura mater and the pia mater

pia mater

which is the third layer of the meninges, is located nearest to the brain and spinal cord

cerebrospinal fluid

also known as spinal fluid, is produced by special capillaries within the four ventricles located in the middle region of the cerebrum

cerebrum

is the largest and upper most portion of the brain, consists of four lobes

thalamus

is located below the cerebrum, produces sensations by relaying impulses to and from the cerebrum and the sense organs of the body

hypothalamus

is located below the thalamus

cerebullum

is the second-largest part of the brain

brainstem

is the stalk-like portion of the brain that connects the cerebral hemispheres with the spinal cord

cerebral

means pertaining to the cerebrum or to the brain

cerebral cortex

which is made up of gray matter, is the outer layer of the cerebrum and is made up of elevated folds and deep fissures

cerebral hemispheres

that are connected at the lower midpoint by the corpus callosum

cerebral lobes

each cerebral hemisphere is subdivided to create pairs of lobes

midbrain and pons (PONZ)

provide conduction pathways to and from the higher and lower centers in the brain

medulla oblongata

which is located at the lowest part of the brain stem, is connected to the spinal cord

spinal cord

is a long, fragile, tube-like structure that begins at the end of the brainstem and continues down almost to the bottom of the spinal column

cranial nerves

originate from the undersurface of the brain

peripheral spinal nerves

are grouped together and named based on the region of the body they innervate

autonomic nervous system

is organized into two divisions, one comprising sympathetic nerves and other parasympathetic nerves

sympathetic nerves

prepare the body for emergencies and stress by increasing the breathing rate, heart rate, and blood flow to muscles

parasympathetic nerves

return the body to normal after a response to stress

anesthesiologist

a physician who specializes in administering anesthetic agents before and during surgery

anesthetist

a medical professional who specializes in administering anesthesia, but is not a physician

neurologist

A physician skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of disease of the nervous system.

neurosurgeon

a physician who specializes in surgery of the nervous system

psychiatrist

a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders

psychologist

has a doctoral degree but is not a medical doctor

Cephalagia

also known as a headache, is pain in the head

migraine headache

a headache characterized by throbbing pain on one side of the head

cluster headaches

intensely painful headaches that affect one side of the head and may be associated with tearing of the eyes and nasal congestion

encephalocele

also known as a craniocele, is a congenital herniation of brain tissue through a gap in the skull

meningocele

the congenital herniation of the meninges through a defect in the skull or spinal column

hydrocephalus

is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain

meningioma

is a common, slow-growing, and usually benign tumor of the meninges

meningitis

an inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord

cognition

the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

dementia

a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities, including memory, thinking, and judgment, that is often accompanied by personality changes

vascular dementia

form of dementia caused by a stroke or other restriction of the flow of blood to the brain

encephalitis

inflammation of the brain usually caused by a viral infection such as rabies

Reye's syndrome

potentially serious or deadly disorder in children that is characterized by vomiting and confusion

Tetanus

an acute and potentially fatal infection of the central nervous system caused by a toxin produced by the tetanus bacteria

Tourette syndrome

a complex neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tics, grunts, and compulsive utterances that sometimes include obscenities

neurodegenerative disease

also called degenerative nerve disease, is an umbrella term for disorders in which there is a progressive loss of the structure or functions of the neurons.

Alzheimer's disease

is a group of disorders involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language

Parkinson's disease

is a chronic, degenerative central nervous disorder characterized by fine muscle tremors, rigidity, and a slow or shuffling gait

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

is a rapidly progressive neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles

Amnesia

is a memory disturbance characterized by a total or partial inability to recall past experiences

concussion

violent shaking up or jarring of the brain

cerebral contusion

the bruising of brain tissue as the result of a head injury that causes the brain to bounce against the rigid bone of the skull

cranial hematoma

a collection of blood trapped in the tissues of the brain

traumatic brain injury

a blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that damages the brain

Shaken baby syndrome

the results of a child being violently shaken by someone

Levels of Consciousness (LOC)

describe the measurement of response to arousal and stimulus

conscious

is the state of being awake, alert, aware of one's surroundings

unconscious

is the state of being unaware and unable to respond to any stimuli, including pain

Lethargy

is a lowered level of consciousness marked by listlessness, drowsiness, and apathy

stupor

is an unresponsive state from which a person can be aroused only briefly despite vigorous, repeated attempts.

Syncope

is the brief loss of consciousness caused by the decreased flow of blood to the brain

coma

is a profound state of profound unconsciousness marked by the absence of spontaneous eye movements, no response to painful stimuli, and the lack of speech

persistent vegetative state

a type of coma in which the patient exhibits alternating sleep and wake cycles

Delirium

is an acute condition of confusion, disorientation, disordered thinking and memory, agitation, and hallucinations

brain tumor

abnormal growth located inside the skull

intercranial pressure

the amount of pressure inside the skull